


A Sense of Family

by faintstark



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Aunt Natasha Romanov, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Gen, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark Friendship, Natasha Romanov is good with kids, Panic Attacks, Protective Natasha Romanov, and idk how hospitals work, idk how babies and children act
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-06-25 04:46:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19738594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faintstark/pseuds/faintstark
Summary: Natasha Romanoff was always alone. Even more so after half of the universe disappeared.But then Tony Stark brought one Morgan Stark to her life.





	A Sense of Family

**Author's Note:**

> i wish i didn't do natasha dirty. i honestly love her so much and i'm a little bit hesitant about posting this but. yeet.

_Two months after the apocalypse._

Natasha stared at the piece of paper that sat on top of her desk. It was cream colored, adorned with a small red bow, and certainly wasn’t there when she left the compound. She approached the desk slowly, as if afraid that the thing might attack her. The bow was soft under her palm and the paper was smooth. All high quality.

She untied the bow carefully. She opened the paper, and her breath was taken away for a moment when she found out what the paper meant.

_Hello, Miss Romanoff._

_The futurist uses a letter. Wow, how groundbreaking._

_The compound can feel lonely sometimes. Trust me, I know. Maybe drop by to my house for dinner tonight? Pepper said she needs another woman to spend time with. Well, I’m not exactly mad since I vowed to be by her side forever. She needs someone else tonight before I claim her as mine only._

_It’s fine if you can’t come. I know we’re probably not in the best terms after all the shit we’ve been through. But if you need company, I’m here._

_T.S._

Natasha forced herself to take a breath. She shouldn’t be surprised, but… this man never stopped surprising her after all. Huh. So Tony actually got married to Pepper. In the middle of all this chaos. She hadn’t heard about the ceremony, but maybe he didn’t conduct a ceremony after all. That didn’t sound like something he would do, after what happened.

Natasha sat on her chair, fiddling the bow with her fingers. Should she come? Was it her place to come? She hadn’t really talked to Tony after he came back from space. Hell, she hadn’t really talked to him after the whole Avengers broke up shtick. But she’d be lying if she said that she didn’t miss his company. In some ways, they’re really similar. Natasha couldn’t put her hand on it, but after all those years knowing each other it was like the both of them could understand each other without so much of words. 

They’ve learned the art of reading the other one perfectly. They both had a dark past, hidden behind snark and wit and façade, but the past were not them anymore. They’re trying to do better now, they’re trying to be better now.

They were playing heroes, and look how they failed the entire universe all the same.

Natasha sighed, rubbing her face with her hand. She was tempted to just call Steve, to ask him to come with her. Maybe that way she wouldn’t feel too alone. But then that’d make a more uncomfortable situation on both men’s part. Natasha just wished both of them would stop acting like children and actually solve their problems. She also toyed with the idea to call Bruce.. but that man had been hiding in his lab for months, Natasha’s not sure her phone call would reach him. On a more concerning note, Clint had gone MIA, and her heart ached again when she remembered the empty farm house that used to be filled by laughter, by a family.

In a way, her family was gone too.

She pulled a screen that displayed a list of names. Children who lost their parents and had no one else in their lives. She was trying to bring them together, find some people who could take care of them. She rented a building and made sure they have all the supplies they needed, but they still needed someone to look after them. Some people already volunteered to help and she couldn’t be more grateful. They all lost someone too. A mother who lost her only son, a father who lost his twin daughter, an aunt who lost her nephew. A mosaic of a team, but a team nonetheless. A team for a purpose.

But she’s afraid that it’s not enough. It was never enough.

She didn’t come to his house that night.

* * *

_Three months after the apocalypse._

Natasha looked up from her computer to the ringing phone. No one ever called during these times. Some calls from Steve Rogers, occasionally, but that’s it. Those were also rare because he tended to just drop by without any preamble. She stood up, taking the phone and narrowed her eyes when it was from an unknown number. She never gave her private phone number to strangers.

But weirder things had happened, she guessed, so she answered the call.

_“And I just—oh, Romanoff? You’re there?”_

Her mouth gaped open a little bit when she heard the voice. She hadn’t realized how long it’s been since she last heard his voice.

“Stark?” She said to the receiver, and frowned when she got a slightly manic laugh from his side.

 _“Yeah, yeah. It’s me. God, uh- it’s been a long time.”_ Natasha heard the panic in his voice very clearly. She decided to sat down to face.. whatever issue he’s going to bring her today.

“You okay?” She asked. There was a clang from Tony’s side and he swore.

_“Uh huh. That was just Dum-E being a dumbass as always. Uh, how you doing?”_

He was avoiding to say whatever his intention was to call her. She sighed, fingers playing the end of her hair. It had grown longer during the time she spent alone after all this mess started.

“Come on, Tony. You’re better than this. What’s going on?”

There was a pause from Tony’s side, before he finally let out something like a shudder of breath.

_“Okay, okay. I’m totally freaking out for no reason. I’m sorry for bothering you, I’ll—”_

“Whoa, whoa, calm down, Shellhead.” She straightened up on her seat. This was serious. Tony never opened himself when he’s having this kind of attack. Natasha knew he had them, he just never showed them to anyone who weren’t in his inner circle. And she was pretty sure she wasn’t in his inner circle. But then again here he was, struggling to breathe right beside her ear.

“Breathe, Tony.” She said, and he exhaled loudly in response.

 _“Nat,”_ He said again after a moment of heavy breathing passed. He sounded very worn out. _“Sorry for freaking out on you.”_

She shrugged. “It’s fine. Are you, though?”

_“Always.”_

Natasha rolled her eyes at his antics. Damn, she really missed him, huh? “I don’t need a face-to-face meeting to see right through your bullshit, Tony.”

_“I’m surprised Cap hasn’t washed your mouth yet. You talk like a pirate.”_

“Can’t you relate, Shithead?”

_“Harsh.”_

She snorted, spinning her chair a little bit. “So? How may I help you, Mr. Stark?”

She was met with silence from his part. She waited, until he whispered a very quiet, _“Pepper’s pregnant.”_

She stopped spinning her chair. That wasn’t what she was expecting. She expected some sort of another life altering event that could somehow make things worse than it already was. She had dark thoughts, alright, not exactly her fault at this point.

“Well, congratulations?” She said after she was done being surprised, and it came out like a question.

Tony chuckled bitterly. _“Thanks.”_

“No, seriously.” She put her forehead on her desk. The piece of metal was cold against her skin. “That’s good news. Why are you freaking out?”

There was a thump from his side, and Natasha imagined him doing something similar like what she did. _“I don’t know, Nat. I don’t think I’m ready.”_

Natasha narrowed her eyes. Tony’s really opening up to her right now and she wasn’t sure on how she was supposed to react.

“I’m sure you’ll do great.” Then, after a pause, “Although I’m confused on why you want to talk to me about this.”

 _“Honestly, I’m not sure either.”_ Tony answered, still sounding very tired. _“I already talked to both Rhodey and Happy, and I’m still not feeling any better, so.”_

Oh. So he talked to the people in his inner circle first. The situation’s more understandable now. Though it still didn’t explain everything. “And how would I make you feel any better?”

Tony sighed. _“Entertain me a little bit here, Nat.”_

“I’m not your piece of entertainment.”

_“Okay, that came out wrong. But you’re really giving me a hard time here.”_

Natasha smiled despite herself. “That’s literally my job.”

Tony must’ve felt her smile or something, because he chuckled more genuinely this time. _“I thought I fired you years ago. How’s job hunting, huh?”_

Natasha raised her head again to face her computer, displaying the construction of the memorial park they’re going to build for the vanished. She couldn’t believe that’s what they call half of the universe, now. Vanished, gone. And yet here a man just got a gift, another life to be added into his life.

“Oh, just peachy.” She said instead. “The paying grade is definitely higher.”

He barked out a laugh at that, and she smiled again. It felt like it’s been a long time since she smiled.

It felt like she was getting another piece of her family back.

* * *

_Ten months after the apocalypse._

_“Miss Romanoff,”_ FRIDAY’s voice said. She sounded as urgent as an AI could get. _“I believe Boss would like to have your company right now.”_

“Tony?” Natasha narrowed her eyes. “What’s happening?”

 _“Boss is in the hospital.”_ Natasha stood up from her chair abruptly, immediately searching for her jacket. _“Mrs. Stark is at labor and Boss is having symptoms of a panic attack. Colonel Rhodes and Mr. Hogan are at DC, so I’ve elected to contact you.”_

“Is it a bad episode?” She finished putting on her jacket, snatching her keys and her helmet. She put on her earpiece so she could keep talking to FRIDAY. Her sprint to the garage felt too long, and she fumbled to her motorcycle, immediately starting the machine up.

 _“It is.”_ FRIDAY answered. Natasha revved the engine and followed the direction to the hospital that FRIDAY displayed on her helmet. Convenient, she thought. He always covered everything for them. The least that she could do was to be there for him.

When she arrived there, rushing to the birthing ward, she found Tony sitting on the waiting room, shaking like a leaf. His head was on his hand, and she stopped on her tracks.

“Tony?” She called softly, and Tony jerked his head up to meet her face. They scrunched up, in a mix of something like confusion and disbelief. Her heart ached for him.

“Nat?” He called, voice low and trembling. “Why are you here?”

“FRIDAY called.” She answered, slowly walking towards him. His shaking receded a little bit, maybe because he wasn’t alone anymore, and he didn’t stop her when she took a seat beside him. He sighed and hid his face on his hands again.

“Traitor.” He muttered.

She observed him for a moment. He was wearing a dark hoodie and jeans, a far cry from the three-piece-suits he used to wear in front of the public. His hair was a mess, but that’s probably because he ran his hands through it from the stress. Natasha surprised herself when it just dawned to her that this was the first time they met each other in person since… a long time.

Hesitantly, she put a hand on her shoulder. He didn’t flinch, but he tensed minutely on her contact. After a while, his shoulders finally sagged and he sighed loudly.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Natasha assured. “She’ll be okay. They both will.”

He gave a small nod, still not looking up.

“Sorry for making you run all the way here.” He said, and Natasha shook her head.

“Tony, it’s fine. Honestly, I’m glad FRIDAY even told me at all.”

He pulled his head from his hands at that, and their eyes finally met. She narrowed her eyes at him. A question, a challenge.

“You’re still living alone in the compound?”

Natasha pulled her hand down, shifting on her seat. This conversation just took a drastic turn. “Yeah.” She answered truthfully, shortly.

Now Tony’s the one who narrowed his eyes at her. “Not moving with Captain Righteous?”

Natasha shook her head. “He got his own life now.” She leaned back on her chair. “Therapy group and shit. And someone’s gotta watch the base, right?”

Tony shook his head, then proceeded to mirror her position. “But you can leave once in a while. You still haven’t visited my new house.”

She snorted. “Why are you so proud with your new house?”

“Because it’s awesome! The lake is beautiful, the air is fresh, and I’m telling you, Pepper’s reaction when she first saw it was—”

“Mr. Stark?” A nurse came out and Tony immediately stood up, back to looking weary. Natasha stood up after him, her heart thumping inside her chest, but the nurse gave them a soft smile.

“She’s here.” She said. “Both of them are fine. You may come in now.”

“Okay,” Tony said, exhaling a relieved breath. “Okay, just give me a moment.” The nurse nodded and they were both alone again.

“She.” Natasha whispered, remembering the time when Laura told her that it was ‘Nathaniel’. She wondered one more time where Clint was. On another note, she wondered why she still got that giddy feeling right now.

“I—I’m gonna come in.” Tony said. His hands were wringing nervously on his sides, but he looked less panicked now, more composed. More like the Stark he was. Natasha nodded, and he started walking towards the door before stopping on his tracks, looking back at Natasha.

Natasha raised an eyebrow at him, and he pointed at her.

“You stay here.”

Before Natasha could reply, he vanished into the room. She sighed, taking a seat one more time. She wondered if she should just leave. What’s her use now that they knew Tony and his baby were fine? Tony had also calmed down now. They’ll be fine without her.

Still, she opened her phone and decided to wait.

A few minutes later, FRIDAY chimed to her ear, _“Miss Romanoff, Boss would like you to enter the room now.”_

Okay, she wasn’t expecting that. She stood up, rocking on her heels in something like doubt. And maybe something other than that. Expectation, maybe. Hope, too scary. 

She pocketed her phone again and walked into the room.

There, Tony was standing beside Pepper’s bed, holding a small bundle in his arms. He looked up when she entered, and Natasha noticed that his eyes were red and glassy. But she decided not to comment on that.

Pepper smiled at her from where she was lying. “Hello, Nat. It’s nice to see you.” She said weakly.

Natasha smiled back at her, walking a little bit closer to the couple. “You too, Pepper.”

“Nat,” Tony said quietly, and he gestured with his head for her to come closer to him and the little bundle. She finally can see the little life inside it, and her heart stuttered in her chest.

It was the prettiest baby she’d ever seen. Her hair was brown colored just like her father’s, her cheeks pink, her face peaceful in her sleep. It felt just like when she first met Nathaniel. One look at them and she’s ready to risk everything for their happiness.

“Meet Morgan H. Stark.” Tony said softly, rocking the baby a little bit.

“H.?” Natasha asked, her tone of voice matching his.

Tony smiled. “Stands for Halcyon.” Natasha stared in awe as the baby yawned. “Means peaceful, calm, serene. Happy.”

Pepper gave a small laugh from her bed. “Morgan from my eccentric uncle, Halcyon from her eccentric dad.”

Tony ignored his wife, and extended his arms towards Natasha. She instinctively extended hers, and the next moment she was holding a baby Stark in her arms.

“Maguna,” Tony cooed, and Morgan opened her eyes, as if she knew that was her cue. Pepper gave another laugh. Those tiny little brown eyes met Natasha’s, taking her breath away.

“Meet Aunt Nat.” Natasha snapped her head to look at Tony, but he was still looking at his little girl with such a soft, adoring gaze. Natasha never saw him being as open with his expression as this. And she certainly never thought that was what Tony would introduce her to his baby.

Tony finally met her eyes when he realized that Natasha was silent. He gave her a smile, then. It felt like a permission. A grant. A peace offering. He nodded towards Morgan, and she felt a burning sensation behind her eyes.

She looked at the little baby again, and she was staring back at her too. She wasn’t crying, just looking. Natasha gulped the lump in her throat.

“Hello, Morgan.” She tried, and Morgan blinked once, making her smile. “I hope you get all the happiness in life, too.”

* * *

After that day, Natasha’s visit to the Stark household went easier. She came every two weeks or so, and even more frequent whenever Tony and Pepper had Stark Industries work to do and no one to keep an eye on Morgan.

“You sure you’re gonna be fine?” Tony asked again, for the umpteenth time that day.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “I’m not gonna kill your baby, Tony. You know very well this isn’t the first time I’m taking care of her.”

“Sorry for that.” Pepper piped up from the kitchen, where she was preparing the baby’s meal for today. “He’s an overprotective dad.” Tony groaned.

“It’s kinda cute.” Natasha smirked at him and he scowled. “Always knew you’re a mama bear.”

“Okay, you could at least give me a papa bear. I’m not _that_ overbearing.”

Pepper made a disagreeing noise from the kitchen, and Natasha smiled smugly.

“Pep, you’re supposed to be on my side!” Tony yelled, but there was no heat behind his words.

“Hush, Tony, the baby’s sleeping upstairs.” Natasha didn’t have time to add any words after that, since Tony’s already sprinting upstairs with wide eyes.

“Whoops.” Natasha said flatly, and Pepper laughed.

When Tony came back a few moments later, shushing them both, Natasha thought about how she’d miss these days. She wished everyone was there to fill the gaping hole in her heart, too.

* * *

Morgan loved her. Well, at least that’s what Tony, Pepper, and Rhodey said. She’d never be that bold and say those words out loud, or even believe it. It was too damn scary.

"A'nt Nat!” Three-year-old Morgan squealed, and Natasha gave her a smile as she showed off her messy scrawls.

“Wow, Morgan.” She brushed Morgan's messy bangs away from her face. “Who are those?”

Morgan seemed happy to be asked. “Da’!” She said as she pointed at the red crayon blob and Natasha grinned. “Ma’! Me!” She pointed the blue and pink blob next.

Natasha blinked in surprise when Morgan pointed at the black blob, which she assumed was supposed to be a house or a tree trunk, and said, “You!”

“Me?” She asked quietly, and Morgan, oh good, innocent Morgan, nodded her head giddily, not realizing the many emotions in Natasha’s one worded response.

“That’s nice.” She said as soon as she collected herself again. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

Morgan seemed to be pleased by that. She ran to stick the paper to the fridge, Natasha watching her with her lips still parted a little bit from shock.

Morgan turned around after she’s done, opening her arms as if presenting the drawing. Natasha quirked a smile.

“Looking good.” Morgan smiled back at her before she was rushing to crush Natasha in a tight hug.

“I love you.” Morgan mumbled to the crook of her neck, and Natasha breathed.

“Love you too.” She whispered back, and she thought that maybe she could believe in the child’s words.

* * *

“Tony,” Natasha looked up to his face, and she was pretty sure everyone could see the desperation behind her eyes. “We have to take a stand.”

Tony looked straight back at her, expression pained but unrelenting. “We did stand. And look what happened.”

Natasha looked away at that. It’s been five years, and suddenly Scott Lang’s back and he told them about a chance to bring everyone back. A chance to bring Natasha’s family back.

But Tony didn’t want to give up on his family.

Natasha understood, really. She loved Morgan with her whole heart, and obviously she loved Tony and Pepper. But this was a chance. A chance, after years of desperation, of waiting, hoping something, anything would fix this situation.

Morgan ran out a few moments later, immediately jumping to Tony’s arms. She gave Natasha a small glance, and Natasha offered her a tight smile. The little girl didn’t say anything, probably too afraid in front of both men she didn’t know. But Natasha saw the tilt of her head, the question in her eyes. Those bright, youthful eyes.

They left the Starks’ house, and Natasha had no hard feelings for Tony. If he wanted to stay back for Morgan, Natasha understood. She would do the same too, if she was in Tony’s position.

But she wasn’t Tony. She got no family by blood left. She got no one waiting for her to come home. So she’s not giving up on getting her found family back.

* * *

“Whatever it takes.”

Natasha and Clint fought, because of course they would. They always did. But Natasha won’t let Clint die. Not when he had a family waiting for him. Not on her watch.

She couldn’t ruin another family, not anymore. She won’t let anyone else down. She’ll bring half the universe back.

She didn’t have any family to return home, after all.

They were both dangling, Natasha below Clint. Down there was a cold, solid ground for either one of them to fall to. Clint’s trying so hard to exchange their position, to save her. But she made sure he won’t be able to do so.

“Let me go.” She whispered. Looking at her bestfriend. A part of her family. “It’s okay.”

Clint looked back at her, tears brimming on his eyes. He shook his head fiercely. “No. Please.”

Natasha gave him one last smile. She stepped her feet to the hard cliff and pushed herself. Clint’s grip slipped and she fell, the last thing she saw was Clint’s heartbroken face.

 _It’s okay._ She meant it. She meant all of that. As she descended, the only thing that went through her mind was that this will be worth it. If she couldn’t see her family again, but she could bring them back, if she could reunite them with each other, then it’ll be enough.

The wind blew past her, and she remembered Morgan’s laugh. Her smile and her ‘I love you’, the way she called her ‘Aunt Nat’ and looked at her as if she was her aunt by blood. She thought about letting Tony keep that child for a little longer. She thought about giving Clint Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel back. She thought about all those kids she sheltered during those five years, getting their families back.

She smiled as she descended, and she hoped this would clear her red ledger.

**Author's Note:**

> you can rip my headcanon that the 'h' in morgan's name stands for halcyon from my cold, dead hands.
> 
> also, am i still sad over tony and nat's fate in endgame? the answer to that is yes.
> 
> sorry for any errors, kudos/comments are my fuel to keep writing <3
> 
> when i'm not writing, i lurk [twitter](https://twitter.com/faintstark)


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